Antarctic
Diving 9 - Antarcturus signiensis

The Antarctic Ocean is unique
amongst the worlds oceans in that it has no Decapod Crustaceans
- crabs and lobsters that are found in abundance in the rest
of the world have never crossed the Antarctic Convergence, so
their role is taken by other organisms of which this is one.
Antarcturus signiensis has only been so far found
in and around Signy Island and the South Orkneys where it is
regularly encountered on dives down to 25m.

There are a whole host of organisms
that take the place of Decapod crustaceans in Antarctica, many
of which display signs of gigantism compared to their relatives
elsewhere in the world. Underwater Antarctica is a place where
entirely new species to science may be encountered.